1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handle for attachment to the forearm portion of a firearm. Specifically, the invention relates to a handle adjustable between a plurality of angularly spaced mounting positions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Auxiliary handles for attachment to firearms are well known in the prior art. British Pat. No. 106,412 issued to Charles L. Woodward on May 24, 1917, discloses a handle attachable to a firearm, to make that firearm usable by a person who has either partially or completely lost the use of one hand. This handle comprises a gripping portion configured to have a plurality of recesses for receiving the user's fingers. When the gripping portion is attached immediately behind the trigger guard, the user can maintain the gun in a firing position by holding the gripping portion and balancing the gun. The user's index finger can then be utilized to pull the trigger.
Handles have also been designed for attachment to pump action guns. One such handle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,542 issued to Michael P. Simonetti on Jul. 2, 1991. This handle is U-shaped in design, and it is immovably secured to the underside of a forearm stock which is slidable upon a magazine. Two substantially vertical portions each have one of their ends connected to the forearm stock. The other ends of the vertical portions are connected to each other by a substantially horizontal portion. Together, the horizontal portion and the two substantially vertical portions create a U-shaped handle. The horizontal portion of the handle may is grasped when carrying out the pumping action of the forearm stock.
Other handles designed specifically for attachment to pump action guns are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,697 issued to Harry A. Reising on Nov. 27, 1956, U.S. Pat. No. 2,826,848 issued to Thomas E. Davies on Mar. 18, 1958, U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,238 issued to Jack R. Farrar, et al. on Mar. 5, 1985, and U.S. Pat. 5,068,992 issued to George A. Velezis, et al. on Dec. 3, 1991. All of these patents include a handle having an adjustable position in relation to the forearm stock.
The handle shown in the Reising patent is of a generally Y-shaped configuration formed from an elongated handle and a pair of oppositely disposed arm portions. These arm portions are configured to extend around, and grip, the perimeter of the forearm of the gun. A bolt, extending through both of the arm portions, controls the strength of the grip, thus permitting each user to manipulate the bolt to secure the handle at any desired position.
The handle depicted in the Davies patent includes a tubular gripping portion and a pair of scoops threadedly secured within one end of the tube. These scoops are for encircling a portion of the forearm of the gun. When the scoops are secured within the end of the tube, they are held securely around the perimeter of the forearm, thus maintaining the position of the gripping portion. When the scoops are detached from the tube, their position relative to the forearm may be changed, with the subsequent re-threading of the scoops securing this new position.
The Farrar et al. patent shows a handle assembly for use with a pump action gun. This assembly includes a forend element for mounting upon the magazine of the gun. This forend element includes a shoulder at its rear end and threads at its forward end. A ring is fastened to the threads to secure a tube between the ring and the shoulder. Rotatably connected to this tube is a handle securable at any one of a plurality of gripping positions. A spring pressed detenting element, attached to the handle, mates into one of a plurality of notches formed in a collar secured to the tube. This spring pressed detenting element releasably retains the selected positioning of the handle. When the handle is rotated axially, the spring pressed detenting element is pulled away from the notches, thus permitting the handle to be re-positioned relative to the forend element.
In the Velezis et al. patent, there is disclosed a forearm assembly for a firearm. This forearm assembly includes a tubular forearm for placement over the magazine portion of the firearm. A handle mates with this tubular forearm in a manner permitting a bolt extending axially through the handle to mate with one of a plurality of threaded openings in the forearm.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.